Staring at the Sun
by Mimica
Summary: In which Bella Swan learns nothing is under her control. Not even her own mind.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Twilight, any of its characters or plot.

Soundtrack of Chapter One: "Daydreaming" by Paramore.

Staring at the Sun

Chapter One

"The prodigal child returns"

Black.

Solid, shapeless.

There was no sense of time or space as she floated away.

As fog clouded her lungs and mouth, she felt herself weightless, being slowly but surely pulled in direction of…something.

She knew not where left or right, up or down was. There was a fleeting thought to struggle, but she could not find the will to put her ghost-feeling limbs into action. It seemed as if her brain had been replaced with cotton. She wished to call for her mother, but when she opened her mouth – or what she _thought_ was her mouth – there was no sound.

As she foggily worried over predicament, there suddenly came the dizzying plunging effects of gravity returning. She was unexpectedly swirling, rapidly plummeting down as another color was added into her world.

Green.

Razor sharp, stinging her face, legs and arms, swirling, puke inducing, sudden flash of white, vortex of green, and suddenly _bang_!

She landed with a sickening crack, the air swooshing out of her lungs .

As her body slowly, painfully, regained form and sensation, she returned consciousness to the feeling of wet and cold... A faint buzzing sound reached her ears as the prickly sensations of shape and texture returned to her fingers. Leaves, it seemed, she was lying over leaves and grass.

She opened her eyes to what she expected to be harsh sunlight, but instead she was greeted with green… skies? No… Trees... Very tall endless green trees, they blended together with gray-black skies, illuminated by a gigantic full moon. Confused, she slowly sat up, careful not to disturb the surroundings, lest she alerted someone of her presence. She looked around, searching for the source of that buzzing noise as she could hear it increasing.

How had she managed to find herself in the middle of a forest?

Slowly, she stood on her knees, eyeing her surroundings suspiciously. She couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding as she tried to adapt her eyes to the darkness surrounding her. She carefully got up and was about to give her first step when suddenly she felt every hair on her body stand and a shiver run its way up her spine.

She was being watched, she realized, her breath catching as an absurd sense of blazing heat, she oddly recognized as _hope_ , filled her chest.

Slowly, oh so very slowly, she turned her head to peer at the forest behind her. The buzz from before unexpectedly intensified tenfold, and she covered her ears from the splitting pain of it, but it was instantly shadowed by the sudden hot blades of fire that tore and gnawed through her chest, sinking searing claws into her heart, and pulling her forward.

 _Oh!_ She knew that feeling… She welcomed it thoroughly, the same way she'd done a thousand times before. Tears leaked from her eyes, as she sank to her knees. From behind teary lashes she saw, she could _feel_ , the massive form blending with the pitch black darkness.

She slowly looked up, to the glowing eyes of the beast...watching her.

And she smiled.

…

Isabella Marie Swan started awake to harsh sunlight coming through her window, almost falling off her bed in the process. Her heart beat erratically and she couldn't keep an almost hysterical giggle to herself as she felt the delicious searing heat fading from the vicinities of her heart. _Her Protector_ had come to her… she couldn't have hoped for a better start to that day!

The loud buzzing sound still there, she now recognized it as her alarm clock echoing loudly. She swiftly smashed it against the wall and turned away, silently bubbling in hatred towards the device that took her away from dreamland so prematurely.

Burying her head against her pillows, she sighed, remembering the dream she'd just had. _Those eyes_ … she'd never forget those glowing ambers of fire. She smiled against her pillow. The figure that graces her presence ever so often, the monster she'd come to believe as her guarding angel. She had, long ago, dubbed him the love of her life… sad, seeing as he not even human, and worse, only a figment of her imagination.

Deciding not to dwell too much on the matters of the heart - _and mind_ , she secretly sneered - so early in the morning; she stretched and hopped out of bed. She tidied it up, carefully folding the sheets just the way she liked it: absolutely unwrinkled. Unfortunately, as the sheets were not agreeing with her, it took her 11 minutes to get it done. Not that she was counting.

She then rearranged everything in the room to absolute Isabella-esque order, the carpet fibers combed left, the computer desk perfectly ordered, and (she should even pat herself in the back for) ordered in a way as the items were laid in perfect half circles around each side of the computer according to statistical chance of use. From most used at the inner circles to least used at the outer circles, her desk presented itself as a picture of chaos enough to fool others (a.k.a. Renee, her mother), and absolutely flawless order to her, as it should be.

After that she took her sweet time arranging the curtains symmetrically and finally nodded to herself, admiring her room, and deemed it an appropriate time for a _normal_ (she inwardly snorted) teenager such as herself to be awake and headed out of her room.

Isabella's feet were covered in bright orange wool socks, allowing her to run full force out of her room, sliding on the wooden floor like a ninja, narrowly avoiding a collision with Phil as he stepped out the room he shared with her mother. Isabella smiled at him sheepishly as he shot her one halfhearted glare and tousled her already bird nested hair.

"Morning, Bella." He said. "You had an unusual good night, you know? We're celebrating! With your mama's Crunchies"

Her eyes widened as she nodded, half happy, half suspicious.

Renee's Crunchies were Isabella's absolute all-time favorites. Though Renee, whom was no fool despite all appearances and pretenses, knew how to play her daughter quite well, meaning she usually only cooked her special Crunchies whenever she wanted to sugar coat her daughter for something.

And a 'good night' was certainly no reason for the chocolaty goodness… at least it never had been before.

Bella entered the bathroom, and as she combed her hair one hundred and twelve strokes towards complete smoothness and simultaneously brushed her teeth - a feat she'd managed to master over the years - she tried not to let her mood get dampened by special food scenarios.

Maybe they'd only go on a trip for one of Phil's games or something. Maybe they wouldn't be moving or anything like that. They'd only been in Phoenix for –not that she was counting– 8 months, 3 weeks and 2 days. Granted that was more time than they spent in most cities, but she really _really_ liked Phoenix. Something about the warm, dry, dependable weather took very well to her, she guessed.

Bella sighed as she was stepped out of the bathroom. 'No use avoiding the unavoidable', she thought, and keeping in mind the sugary mouthwatering goodness waiting for her, she ran down the stairs.

Carefully she sidestepped the squeaky, unstable fifth step, trying not to klutz out so early on the morning. She then ninja slid her way into the kitchen, only to be met by Renee's frantic waving of a cloud of smoke away from the house's overly hysterical smoke detector.

Phil hid a smirk against his coffee mug throwing a significant sly look towards Bella, a look she knew well the meaning of. It was a slight raise on his left eyebrow and a crooked smile that showed the indentation of a dimple on his left cheek.

A look that meant _'Sorry I gave you false hope, kiddo. Your mom burned breakfast. Again. We are eating at some local diner. Again.'_

Ah, the joy.

Thoroughly dejected for being denied her favorite treat, Bella turned back after grumbling out a barely audible good morning and trudged upstairs to change out of her pajamas. She went to her mother's room and after finding the appropriate keys she went back to her room and unlocked her windows, sneaking a hand outside to check the temperature. She smiled as she found it the usual three gazillion Farenheit, and the sun boasting its fullest, harshest glory.

She turned back and opened her closet, remembering to her dismay that she had yet to do her laundry that week, due to Renee downright forbidding her from washing clothes more than once a week. _That_ problem left her - as she gazed into her nearly empty wardrobe - with little choices appropriate enough for… well, for baking on a furnace with marginal discomfort.

Sigh.

Bella ended up choosing a dark pink mini sundress, suppressing an internal shiver of revulsion at the girly attire (a gift from Renee of course), along with denim short shorts and well worn, yet spotless, beloved black converses.

She retrieved some sunblock out of the drawer and smeared it everywhere on her body, lest she repeat the alarmingly accurate human-lobster performances of the first month under Phoenix's sky.

Renee now bought her an amazing sunscreen brand, with probably the highest sun protection factor known to human kind. ' _You know, it was actually Dr Goodricke who told me about this brand, you know that Doc has fairer skin than you do. Turns out it's potent enough to keep a vampire from bursting into flames against the midday sunlight in the middle of the Sahara desert_ ', she remembered her mother saying. Bella now agreed with her wholeheartedly, for it had certainly kept her ownskin from sizzling off every time she took her near-albino self out for some vitamin D producing.

She heard a knock, and her door was opened ( _without permission_ , may she have silently add as the intruder - Renee - peeked inside her room). Her mother's eyes narrowed suspiciously as her gaze lingered on her daughter's wrinkleless bed for a few seconds, eventually looking back at her daughter and smiling a little too widely.

"Let's go, honey?" she said in a cheerful voice.

Bella was immediately suspicious; it was not common _at all_ for Renee to forego nagging her daughter about her 'obsessive cleaning tendencies', or her obsessive _anything_ every chance she got.

She didn't like it. Renee was up to something. Something _big._

 **. . .**

Jacob Black stared at his cell phone's screen unblinkingly. He'd been awakened by a beeping noise signaling he had a message from Bells, which he promptly checked. And now he wishes he hadn't. Fervently.

He read the message once more, gulping audibly. He forcibly shook himself and viciously rubbed his eyes. Numbingly he read it again.

" _Jaaaake, you won't believe. My shrink (the traitor) told my mom that all this back and forth wasn't good for me. So naturally instead of talking to me and settling our family down in one city, noooooo! She just kicked me out!_

 _Talk about a_ huge _blowout yesterday when she told me! So now, apparently, I have to pack up and move to Forks._

 _Since I have_ no _say in what goes on in my life whatsoever, even though it's_ me _who is living it (insert snort of derision here_ ¬¬' _) I am now actually packing everything as I write to you (can't believe the rush on my mom's side to drop me off, sheesh!)._

 _Anywaaaayss, your house better be the spotless, shiny, absolutely ordered place I left it as OR ELSE!_

 _xo xo_

 _Bells_ _"_

Jacob felt a trickle of sweat run down his spine at the same time as a shiver fought its way up. He turned his back to his computer to check his room. Clothes all over the floor, bed completely messed up, half-filled glass mugs in every possible surface, and he was pretty sure he _just_ saw a tiny spider crawl under his bed.

He felt his lead filled limbs slowly carry him outside his room; dust on the hallway, the kitchen didn't ever deserve a description other than _war zone._

 _Oh boy._

He found his father staring at the television, happily munching away some definitely _non_ diabetic friendly cereal, a feat he would certainly never accomplish again, not under Bella's watch, that's for sure.

He heavily sat at the couch, sinking hopelessly into the worn leather. He groaned.

Billy, Jacob's father, eyed his disposition with a funny look, arching one eyebrow at his behavior. "What's gotten into you so early in the morning, son?" He asked.

Jacob sighed. He rearranged himself into the couch that was getting too small to accommodate his frame. He groaned. He flipped onto his stomach; he buried his face against the sofa cushion. He told his father.

"Manhma mam man" he muffled out.

Billy raised another eyebrow. "What?" he asked, in between munches.

Jacob turned his head to look at his father. "Bella is coming." He said, shutting his eyes as he swallowed another groan. "As in, she is moving back to Forks"

He felt more then heard Billy's body stiffen. He definitely heard the spoon clanking against the bow of cereal as it slipped from his father's grasp.

Now, Billy Black, respected - if not feared- Chief of the Quileute Tribe, was no coward. He'd faced more hardships, overcome more struggles than the average soap opera's main character. But Isabella Swan, Isabella _The Hawk_ Swan, well… shewas a force to be reckoned with.

Billy looked at around at his living room, which he could only describe as a nuclear fallout zone. He gulped.

 _Oh boy._

Billy looked down at his breakfast cereal and silently said his goodbyes, mourning the loss of each and all sugary goodness in the world.

Bells…she had eyes on the back of her head, the walls were her ears, he was pretty sure she was capable of setting up secret surveillance footage on his fridge, or at least bribing Jake into telling her if he had been keeping to his diet or not (and the Spirits know that boy – _the traitor_ – is no more than gooey mellow putty on Bella's hands, especially if she treats him with food).

Nope,she would _never_ let Billy put his hands on a spoon of sugar _ever again_.

Billy sighed, wheeling himself towards the phone as it started ringing.

"Black's" he said as he picked it up.

"Sup?" he heard the grunt on the other side of the phone. Charlie Swan, _The Hawk_ 's father, exchanged words of mortification with his longtime friend.

Charlie was awoken quite early, on one of his _very few_ days off might he add, by a call from his recently remarried (bitch of an) ex-wife, conveniently informing him that, according to the advices of Dr. Goodricke (whom might as well change names to Dr. God on Earth, given the size of the pedestal Renée held that shrink in), Charlie was now to house their beloved daughter for the remaining time of her high school years, as a stable environment should be better for the success of his daughter's treatment.

Apparently, somehow, only Charlie was able to give her said environment now (because _God forbid_ Renée ever give up a single inch of her life in order to accommodate Bella's needs).

Funny how that wasn't what the judge thought when they were fighting for custody, he mused later, after he had hung up the phone and started grudgingly cleaning up his house.

Now, it wasn't that Charlie minded having his little girl around; in fact he could barely sit still in anticipation between each one of her visits. But Bella was… well, he'd certainly had a reason for dubbing her _Hurricane_ Bella when she was little.

Charlie was an aging man now, completely set on his ways, and he was sure that having Bella…no, worse… _teenage_ Bella around was bound to throw his life into absolute chaos. 'Or worse' he thought 'completely spotlessly ordered kind of worse '.

He grunted while munching on a crispy piece of bacon he was going to throw away but decided against it once he realized he should be saying his goodbyes to all things fried, for he was sure once Bella got word of his latest cholesterol check he would never hear the sizzling delicious sound of _anything_ frying _ever again_.

Sigh.

Oh and he was sure Bella would get the news because a) Billy was _that_ much of a rat, _the_ _traitor,_ and b) hard ass, feared Chief William Black was total vanilla yogurt smoothie on his daughter's hands and would most _definitely_ tell on Charlie once Bella started cruelly bribing him with food.

Cruelly, of course, as she would only cut him off later once she heard of his latest blood sugar level results. Which she _will_ hear, he's absolutely sure, considering Charlie himself was no more than squishy melted marshmallow on Bella's heavenly lasagna making hands.

Charlie ran a thumb and a forefinger through his mustache and, swaying between hope and hopelessness, he looked down at his stomach – _the traitor_ \- and resumed his cleaning of the house.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Twilight, any of its characters or plot.

Soundtrack of Chapter Two: Of Monsters And Men – "Thousand Eyes"

Staring at the Sun

Chapter Two

"Revelations … or lack thereof"

Renee sat at the living room's couch staring blankly at the TV. Phil had gone outside to simmer away his anger and disappointment. Above her, Renee could hear the bumps and clanks of things being thrown around, along with the occasional shouts of frustration.

Bella was angry. Angry enough to mess up her room, angry enough to throw a bottle of milk at the ground _and_ not care about the mess she made. Angry enough to…

' _I hate you'_

Renee flinched at the memory. Never in a million, even after all the mistakes she had made, had she thought she would hear such a horrible thing from her daughter.

She sighed, looking down at the picture she was gripping, one of her as a teen and her own mother looking the youngest Renee ever recalled her being. Renee remembered, allowing a single tear to fall, of all the times she had said the same thing to her own mother.

Only _she_ had abandoned Marie. Bella, on the other hand, wanted to _stay_.

'I wonder how my mother ever dealt with me' She mused, following the contour of her mother's face with a fingertip. 'I guess making Bella leave is my punishment. For all the times I walked away.'

Phil wasn't on her side on that one. He absolutely adored Bella, so much so that Renee was ashamed to admit – not that she had ever actually admitted – she was just a teensy weensy bit jealous of Phil's attachment to Bella, especially at the beginning of their relationship.

He didn't want Bella to leave. It had been a source of strain and many not so hushed late night arguments for the better part of a month now. It was a good thing Bella slept like a log (that is when she wasn't sleepwalking and making noises around the house like a zombie).

But Renee wasn't backing down on that one. Renee had always felt a little guilty, believing that Bella's conditionwas her fault for not being more of a consistent mother figure, and it turns out Dr Goodricke's opinion wasn't that far from it.

Bella's shrink had been dropping many hints for months now, a little comment about Bella needing firm parenting here, stable environment there, all culminating into their last sessions. It had been partially the reason why Renee had chosen to try and settle down for longer in Phoenix, she had wanted to give Bella a chance.

But apparently it wasn't enough.

 _She_ wasn't enough. That's what she understood from Dr Goodricke's words when she was told Bella needed to go.

It was the only way, Renee told herself, gritting her teeth. Maybe she could have handled it a little bit better, but subtlety had never been her fort. She just outright told Bella she would be leaving after the school term was over. For good. In three weeks. No discussion. _Dr Goodricke was always right._

Bella had flipped.

As in she exploded in a show of lava and flaming rocks that smothered everything in its path. Renee had never seen Bella like that, and it honestly scared her a little. Bella, in all her crazy – emphasis on the _crazy_ – anal retentiveness had never been anything but soft spoken and polite. What she saw today after the quake was a cold, ruthless, smoldering side of Bella.

' _I hate you'_

The firmness of it had hurt _so_ much. To the point where Renee caught herself staring blankly at the TV for the past hours, clutching her mother's picture tightly.

The house was silent now. Phil had gone away to God knows where, she didn't know if he was coming back tonight. Renee sighed and painstakingly lifted herself from the couch. She put her mother's picture down and silently walked her way upstairs. She went into Bella's room in order to lock her window, lest the girl sleepwalked her way two stories down and killed herself. Renee quietly opened her daughter's room, only to smile at the pristine condition of it, even after their massive blowout.

Renee knew Bella would never be able to sleep anywhere that was less than spotless, no matter how mad or sick or tired she was.

Knowing Bella's father, he probably didn't even own a broom anymore. Renee smirked, glancing at her sleeping daughter as she quietly locked the windows and closed the door. Charlie was in for a rough ride.

…

It was a little over five in the morning and Charlie Swan found himself driving to La Push's Quileute Indian Reservation. After cleaning his whole house for days, stocking up and hiding junk food in every possible crevice in his room, he finally deemed himself ready to have his little girl over.

But first, he must have one last day of hooray.

That's why he found himself driving so early in the morning, for he had one last whole day of fishing -and eating a bulk load of fried food - that he had to enjoy to its maximum.

Just as the sun was rising, Charlie eagerly pulled over in front of Harry Clearwater's house, but frowned as he saw a very tired looking and disgruntled Harry waiting on the doorsteps.

After his long time friend was seated in the car and a few minutes of awkward silence followed, Charlie couldn't take it anymore.

"Problems in paradise ?" he tried for a light tone.

"Yeah, you could say that" Harry grumbled.

As Charlie was about to turn to the path of Billy's house, his friend raised a hand and told him not to. "He is sleeping. We were in a council meeting up until now, let him have his rest".

"Man, you must be dead tired. Why didn´t you call me, we could have postponed the whole thing", Charlie asked.

"Nah. I needed to get out. Plus, with Bella coming back you will be too paranoid to leave her alone in the house… I know you, old man, you would be obsessing over her burning down the house while sleepwalking or something, you will never leave her alone in the middle of the night just to go fishing. So, buddy, you need this too." Both Harry and Charlie chuckled.

"What is the council meeting about? The thing with the Makah still?" Charlie asked, remembering how a little while back the Makah had sued the Quileute tribe and Quinault nation over the definition of fishing areas. The situation had become a major headache for Charlie's friends and also caused severe strain between the tribes. It was especially disheartening for the Clearwaters, for they had very close relatives in the Makah reservation.

When Harry merely grunted and didn't elaborate, Charlie knew not to push. Even though they had been friends for decades, Harry and Billy had always been very secretive about tribal matters. It certainly ticked Charlie off and made him feel left out, but still there was little he could do about it.

A few hours later both men found themselves serenely floating in a red cedar canoe that Harry, Billy and the late Big Quil had made themselves in their youth, but the day was not going as well as Charlie had hoped. Harry's withdrawn mood had certainly put a damper on things.

After his friend's millionth sigh, Charlie finally had enough. "What is really on your mind, old man? You are never like this", he probed.

"Sorry, man. It's just… uh" Charlie could tell Harry was fumbling for a response "Uh… I guess I'm worried about Leah, is all." He said while scratching the back of his head, showing a nervous habit that had Charlie raising both eyebrows. He knew Harry only did that when he was lying. Or hiding something.

"How come?" Charlie probed, curious.

"Do you remember how Sam Uley went… awol a couple of weeks ago?"

Charlie frowned, recalling Harry telling him about his teenaged daughter and her beau's latest drama.

"Yeah, you told me about how Leah and Sam had been having massive arguments for a while now, and that he went through such a bizarre growth spurt that you were worried he might be taking steroids and shit. He took off after another fight with Leah, right?"

"Yeah… well, he is back. And boy, he is… _changed_ " Harry sighed while tiredly dropping his forehead in his hands. "He is… _not the same_. Not anymore. I don't think that under these new… circumstances… they are going to last together much longer. I don't think I want him near my daughter this way. He might be…unstable."

Leah and Sam have been an item practically since pre-k. Up until a few months ago Charlie and Harry used to joke about believing those two would elope before they were even graduated. Something colossal must have happened if Harry, previously the couple's greatest supporter, thought they were doomed.

Charlie frowned at his friend's words, for once truly believing that the kid might be up to something illegal. He sighed, wondering how good things could go wrong so easily.

He knew Sam Uley, had always thought he was a great kid, but as a police officer Charlie knew tons of great kids whose fates had gone horribly wrong because of a few stupid choices. But if Sam really was into something illegal, there was little Charlie could do about it, the matter was out of his jurisdiction after all.

Not long after that conversation both Harry and Charlie decided to end their fishing trip and home early. The mood just wasn't right, especially without Billy around, so Charlie ended up choosing to save Sue, Harry's wife, the trouble of cooking for them both and decided to eat at the diner.

He drove all the way back to Fork wearing a frown on his face. He just couldn't shake the feeling that Harry wasn't telling him everything.

Little did he know how right he was.

…

A few hours later and Harry Clearwater, a man who prided on his rationality and bravery, found himself fighting the stabbing need to run as he faced the hulking beast staring back at him.

He had been feeding and trying to coach a grotesquely bestialized Samuel Uley back into human form as the boy once again lost control of his body to the entity inside of him.

Behind Harry were three of his fellow Council men - all shaking in their boots but, to their credit, trying hard not to show it - and Old Quil, one of the few elders still alive whom, in their youth, had been witnesses to the physical manifestation of The Spirit Warrior.

When Samuel Uley started showing signs of his transformation months before every single one the men present had been in denial, including Old Quil himself. They had preferred to believe easier explanations, such as drugs, gangs or steroids.

Oh, how he wished they had been right.

Nothing in their lives had ever prepared them for this

They had been blindsided and sucker punched hard by fate. And worse, a young man had been forced to go through the most horrifying experience of his life completely and utterly on his own.

It had been only by possessed shaman talk during religious ceremonies that the Elders had been warned of the awakening of the Beast ( _only_ _a teensy weensy bit too late_ , Harry snorted in derision). The dispatched hunters spotted the quavering creature in the woods not far from Harry's house, surrounded by tattered clothes and its own blood. The boy had clawed and hurt himself, probably thinking he had gone insane. It was by sheer luck he did not run all the way to Canada in madness.

Sam must have exploded into fur and claws after his last fight with Leah, Harry had surmised. He could have easily exploded in the house with his daughter by his side. Thankfully the fates had spared them such horror, Harry thought as he clenched his fists, frowning darkly. He would never allow his daughter such risk ever again!

So caught up was he in his own fears that he only realized Old Quil had surpassed him after the old man knelt reverently – and fearlessly – in front of the quavering beast, soothingly whispering in their native tongue. Harry could make out a few words. _Child,_ he heard, _sleep, rest... home._ Miraculously it worked, and the beast laid belly down on the ground, letting out a relieved sigh as it closed its eyes.

No, Harry chided himself, not an _it_! Not a _beast_! _It_ was Sam Uley, a _boy_ he'd known since a wee baby in the crib! A boy whom certainly did not deserve such a terrifying fate! Harry closed his eyes, admonishing himself for his traitorous thoughts.

"We must speak of this to the Council and all Elders" Old Quil said in an age worn voice as he slowly got up from his kneeling position. "We cannot allow this to happen again. We cannot be caught unprepared twice."

"What do you suggest we do, Elder?" one of the men reverentially asked.

The weathered men slowly walked to join the others, assisted by Harry.

"I have been wondering why the Spirits would not choose someone older and wiser, but after witnessing the extent of this… _transformation_ " the old man murmured, remembering the gruesome site of Samuel's… explosion, for lack of a better word, into that bestial form he now holds "I believe an older body would not be capable of surviving the damage." He explained as the men gathered around him.

"I believe since the Spirit manifested Itself in a twenty year old man, there is little chance It will manifest Itself on those older." The Elder spoke to the council men around him, raising his voice in strength, "We should gather those younger than him. All of them."

The men all suddenly paled, thinking of their children, some of them as young as six years old. Stunned, they watched as Old Quil raised himself to his full height. With a deep imposing voice the Elder commanded:

"Gather all who have the potential of manifesting the Spirit Warrior within themselves. It is time the youths learn what it truly means to _be Quileute_."


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Twilight, any of its characters or plot.

Soundtrack of Chapter Three: Metric – "Empty"

 **Staring at the Sun**

 **Chapter Three**

"Family Woes"

A few days after her mother dropped the bomb on her, Bella Swan could no longer avoid the subject of her unplanned –and _permanent_ – move away. No amount of pleading had changed her mother's mind. No amount of silent treatment either.

So now it was time for packing. Or more like, throwing random things around her room in outrage.

" _She_ is kicking me out" she seethed, throwing books and pieces of clothing into a bag. "She is kicking _me_ out" She ripped her underwear drawer from in her closet, dumping all its contents inside another bag. "She's kicking me _out_!" Bella finally screeched, the sheer volume hurting her own ears.

"I cannot say I'm surprised, my dear" the sudden soothing tones invaded her mind, and Bella turned to her left in surprised. There on her computer desk sat her aging grandmother, Marie, smiling comfortingly.

"Granny! I didn't even hear you come in." Bella smiled, surprised. For an old frail woman with arthritis, she sure had some stealth on her still. Bella didn't mind though, Granny Marie was the only person in the world allowed in her room without need for permission. Besides, Bella swore the aging lady had a sixth sense regarding her granddaughter's needs, for she would always miraculously show up whenever Bella was distressed.

Looking at the serene woman, Bella couldn't help the sudden onslaught of tears as she swallowed a huge lump in her throat. She wouldn't be seeing Granny again so soon. How could her mother do that to her? To both of them?

"She's taking me away again, Granny" Bella murmured, valiantly holding back her tears. She took three steps, going to her knees besides her grandmother's chair.

"I cannot say this is unexpected, she's done that so many times before, my dear. You know I have little say in what she does. She doesn't hear me, only you do." She murmured softly, but Bella easily detected a hint of bitterness in her tone.

"But never forget, my dear…No matter what, I will never leave need only _think_ about me and I will be there." she crooned.

Bella sniffled a few more times, finding strength in her grandmother's composure. She slowly got up, wiping a few traitorous tear tracks from her face with the back of her hands. "But she is making me change everything! I'm practically moving to Alaska… And she knows how much I _hate_ the cold! Nothing will be the same…", Bella insisted.

"Now, it might actually not be so bad, my dear" Marie said, as she tremulously got up from her chair. "There's your father there, his routine is so predictable. And you love predictability. There are your friends, the boys and girls you grew up with at the reservation, remember? You even get to spend the whole summer with them. It is something you have always wanted, isn't it?" Bella nodded as her grandmother moved to the window, wistfully watching the world outside. Her grandmother was right as always, Bella sighed, but that did not make her any less angry at the prospect of leaving.

And how could she leave Marie? Who was going to take care of her? Renee? Bella snorted, Renee could barely take care of a cactus plant, let alone care for her aging grandmother.

"I don't need to be _taken care of_ , child" Marie suddenly spoke, in a reproachful tone. Bella looked up, surprised. It was amazing how she always knew what Bella was thinking. "The day I let someone, specially your mother, take care of me, is the day hell will freeze over!" Bella flinched at the reproving remark, smiling nonetheless at her grandmother's fierceness.

Marie narrowed her eyes and turned fully to Bella. "Now finish packing, my dear. Your room is a mess, look!" She pointed to the various books and sheets. "The clothes in your bags are not even sorted by colors. Shame on you, child!"

Bella gasped at the comment. She looked inside the bags, reds and whites and greens all mixed together. Oh, the horror! How could she have allowed such!

Appalled at herself, Bella attacked her bags with furious single mindedness, organizing the items thoroughly for the next few minutes. So occupied was she, that she never even noticed when her grandmother slipped away from her room. The next time she looked up, the aging woman simply wasn't there anymore.

…

Leah Clearwater was having a bad day. No, scratch that, she was having a whole damn bad _month_. Between finals and dealing with her boyfriend's bizarre behavior lately, she certainly didn't feel like going to some stupid barbecue. But her parents didn't exactly give her a choice, so now she found herself at the back yard of her house, surrounded by grill smoke, laughter and happy people.

Yuck.

But the last thing Leah needed was her mother's ire, so she behaved properly, greeting and even smiling at people, even though all she wanted to do was crawl into her bed and suffer in peace and silence.

But if there was one up side of barbecues it was food, and Leah knew for a fact that stuffing her mouth full would be the best way to avoid having to talk to people. She wasted no time in swiftly finding the nearest table packed with yummy goodies.

It was no surprise at all that there she found Jacob Black, Quil Ateara V and Embry Call up to the very same task; the three boys eagerly pilling mountains of food in their respective plates. Leah actually found them tolerable company and figured they too, having their own problems to deal with, would rather eat than talk. She took a plate, piled her own mountain and took a seat next to them. To Leah's delight the boys simply grunted in acknowledgment, barely looking up from their plates.

They ate merrily in relative silence, eventually commenting on which dishes tasted the best. The four were left mostly in peace until they each felt a looming presence behind them and wearily turned their heads one by one, only to find Charles Swan staring back at them with a malicious smile on his face.

There were a few audible swallows as the man approached the four teenagers. He promptly dragged a chair, sat down and narrowed his eyes as he stared down each one of them, mentally trying to infuse apprehension into their very souls.

Little did they know Charlie had been waiting for the best moment to gather these four for a sat down, and the prospect of free food and beverages - which he just _knew_ would attract them– had given him the perfect opportunity to exert the parental directories he had been meaning to apply. His baby girl would be arriving soon, and it was time for Charlie to lay down the law, so that he could make sure that ride was as smooth as possible.

He only wished he had brought his gun - for motivational purposes, of course.

Charlie grinned sardonically watching as the four discreetly looked at each other wondering if they could try for a quick escape but wisely decided to stay put. After a few seconds of staring them down, Charlie finally spoke. "Listen up you four. Y'all know my baby girl is coming to live in Forks, so I expect y'all to behave in a certain manner" He spoke with great authority, causing the teenagers to raise their eyebrows in surprise, not used to this hearing this tone from Charlie.

"You three" Charlie said, pointing a forefinger at the boys "Y'all know Bella hero worships you, so I don't wanna hear none about y'all teaching her any wrong things or taking her anywhere dangerous. That means there will absolutely be _no hiking or biking when it's raining…_ oh,you know what, scratch that _! No biking ever! No teaching her how to fight,_ and - I can't stress it enough - _no cliff diving_ _with my baby girl!_ Do you hear me?!"

The three boys gulped, and Leah snickered. But Charlie wasn't done, he pointed another forefinger at the girl, her playfulness quickly fading. "And you! You know Bella has the worst case of hero worship on you. Hell, to her it's like you own the moon or something! So, I don't wanna hear you teaching her bad words or any rebellious attitude, I don't wanna catch her listening to any of that funky punk-rock-emo mind melting shit that you think is fantastic, but must importantly, _there will be no dragging of my baby girl into any relationship dramas._ " he spoke in the most authority infused tone he could muster.

He glared directly in each one of their eyes. " Do you all understand me !?" he spoke in clipped tones.

"Yes, Chief!" they all gulped in unison.

"Now, you may go get more food if you want" Charlie said, waving a hand in Leah's direction. They all sighed, relieved, getting up and turning to leave. "Nah uh!" Charlie was quick to amend "I meant Leah only."

"Oh, boy" one of the lads muttered as they sat back down. Leah, only too happy to get away from Charlie, was swift to run out while she still could.

"Now," Charlie glared into the boys' direction. "Y'all know Bella is a growing into a beautiful girl, so I expect you three to treat her as respectfully as you would want anyone to treat your own mothers. She is at least two years your junior, and as much as she says she can take care of herself, I also expect you three to watch over her like _hawks_ while I'm not around." Charlie paused, taking a deep breath and pausing dramatically. He approached the boys and lowered his voice, willing their full attention.

" _Most importantly_ , I expect you three to _insert the fear of God_ into any boy who so much as _dares_ to think he can mess with my baby girl. .Clear?"

"Yes… Chief…" the boys responded slowly, somewhat shocked. But Charlie could see determination become infused in their eyes as they accepted their new roles as his girl's protectors.

"No one will lay a hand on our little princess!" Quil spoke, clenching his fists dramatically.

"Good!" Charlie nodded, relieved. " _Now_ , you all may go find more food, I think I saw Harry just dish out a batch of fish fries" he said and the boys wasted no time in getting up and hurrying to the kitchen.

"Dude, we are still at least biking with her, right?" Charlie heard Quil mumble as the boys got away.

"Duh, of course we are!" Jacob and Embry conspicuously added.

"I heard THAT!" Charlie yelled, causing the boys to jump up and run like the devil was at their heels. The three hurried into the kitchen only to run into Leah, whom was happily munching some of the same fish fries they were after.

"So what else did he want?" she spoke through a mouth full.

"He wanted us to hound her and beat other boys away with a stick until he gets there and beats them with a baseball bat … or shoots them." Embry said as he and Quil cornered Leah and stole pieces of fish fry from her recently refilled plate. She batted them away, annoyed.

"I wonder what it's gonna be like when she gets here. I mean her mom basically kicked her out, so she is probably not gonna be all sunshine and roses when she moves to Forks." Jake pondered as he too snuck one piece from her plate.

"But at least she has Charlie…" Quil mumbled while chewing.

Leah huffed at him and turned to Embry. "How would you feel like if your mom suddenly ditched you with your dad?" Leah asked.

"What dad?!" Embry frowned.

"Exactly!" Leah fired back. "Charlie is not _really_ a dad to Bella, he is the guy she sees a couple of weeks, once a year during the summer" she spoke to them in a low volume, trying not to be heard by others outside their conversation. "And even then, he doesn't really know how to handle her, he mostly just ditches her with us while he goes of fishing, working or whatever. Hell, most of the time she sleeps in one of our houses instead of his own." Leah sighed as she explained. "Living permanently here might throw her totally out of her element ..."

The boys fell silent after that, not having thought about that before.

"She is right, you know" the teens jumped as they heard the deep baritones of the Chief of the Quilleute Tribe. They turned to look at him, surprised that a man in a wheel chair had been able to sneak up on them like that.

"She is going to need our support" Billy Black said in caring tones. "So will Charlie, as he is not used to being a full time father either. I expect those two to clash like titans, at least in the beginning. We all know Bella can be quite the hurricane when she wants to."

The four teenagers looked at each other, grinning. They all remembered times when Bella proved to be more than Charlie could handle. She had probably given him premature grey hairs.

"But I also think we don't need to worry so bad. Remember that Bella has lived in more cities than all of us combined. She is used to moving away all the time, and aside from the minor OCD thing, she turned out perfectly fine… way better than average really. If Bella is anything, she is adaptable. I actually think we will be the ones to feel the impact of her presence here, more than she will" he said, as he rolled his wheel chair closer. "Now… on that note, pour me some of that fried food. I just have the feeling Bella is gonna ban me from eating any of the good stuff when she gets here, so I need to enjoy it while I can".

Leah pilled a large amount of food on a plate for Billy, concerned to note the intense tiredness in his eyes. She remembered how her own father had been staying out late due to Council meetings and figured Billy had been probably staying out even later, due to his status of Chief.

She wondered if he had been taking proper care of his health during the difficult times the tribe was facing due to legal battles with other tribes over fishing territories. It was certainly a huge responsibility on Billy's and the rest of the Council's shoulders.

Jacob hadn't commented on anything, but the worried looks she caught the boy sending his father's way told much of what she needed to know.

Maybe Bella coming back to Forks would be good after all, Leah thought as she allowed a tiny smile to grace her features. No one knew how to keep Billy's health in check better than Hawk Swan herself.

…

That very same night, Billy Black found himself sitting in yet another Council meeting. He sighed and rubbed his eyes, trying to fight back the exhaustion he felt for not having slept properly over the past weeks. He was tired, bone tired, over dealing with tribe bureaucracy, legal matters, and – he could barely accept as true - the brutal awakening of bestial legends inside the body of young native boys of his tribe.

He had now been in a discussion with Old Quil and the rest of the Council about whether or not they should expose the truth about the emerging of the Spirit to all boys of the bloodlines most likely to be affected. Old Quil was adamant that they did, Billy was obstinate that they didn't. At least not yet.

There was the very real possibility of many of them not ever experiencing any of the side effects of the transformation. The very last Pack had only had three members and the Council was now talking about completely changing – _possibly ruining_ \- the lives of at least fifteen kids, some of those them not even ten years old yet.

Billy wanted to at least buy those boys some time. Selfishly, he didn't want his son's smile to disappear; he didn't want him to shoulder such a heavy burden. And he would bear a very heavy load, as the boy's bloodline entitled him the role of _Alpha_ , leader of those affected by the Spirit.

 _A burden that should have been his_ _own_ , Billy seethed internally, as he cursed his useless body.

The discussion had easily become a shouting match, the Elders railing on Quil's side, and the younger members - whose kids they were actually talking about - on Billy's side. But everyone suddenly became silent as Samuel Uley - specially invited for this meeting as he was on one of his rare days of stable human form - suddenly got up from his chair, his hulking body towering menacingly over them.

The boy's figure quivered from head to toe, like an earthquake. For a second his frame expanded slightly, and every face in that room paled considerably, wondering if he would lose control so close to Council members. But no one screamed, no one ran, no one dared to bat an eyelash.

You can't just run from a Wolf.

"I…" the boy's new and impressive bass washed over the Council people. His voice cracked however, perhaps for lack of use, for none of them had heard him utter a word for days. He cleared his throat a couple of times, and took deep breaths, his massive form diminishing somewhat. A modicum of control.

"I agree with Chief Black" he said. "I can take on whatever I have to, alone. For now at least… Give my friends the time they need to be themselves." His voice racked again, but he continued.

"I have lived free of this…", he wanted greatly to say _curse_ , but chose otherwise. "This _part of me_ for twenty years, my childhood and teen years were happy. Don't take this time away from your sons, don't take away … the happiness I … took for granted." His breathing was ragged as he suddenly collapsed back in his chair, unable to hold his human form standing so long, given the tremors coursing through his entire frame. But he continued his speech.

"We can keep an eye on them… We _… I_ can tell them if they start showing signs of… _this_ " He waved a hand over his own form, somewhat in derision. "I am willing to make this sacrifice for your children, for my friends. Let them be…free, for as long as they can be. When… _if_ they start showing signs of the transformation, I will let you know and we can tell them everything."

After that only silence remained for several seconds, until Old Quil got up from his seat and approached the quavering giant. "Are you sure about this, boy? To take on such a burden alone?"

Sam Uley could not find his voice to answer, so he closed his eyes and nodded.

Old Quil chanced a look at all Elders, some of them sighing, others chanting silent prayers, but most of them nodded. He looked at Billy Black. "Have it your way, Chief. But be sure of this, we too will be watching."

Billy sighed and nodded, relieved that he had bought his son at least one last summer of normalcy.

As Sam Uley later watched the Council members going to their respective homes, leaving him alone, he understood that choosing to be on his own had been the biggest sacrifice of his life.

He sighed, slowly entering the woods, fighting the coiled heat in his stomach that urged him to hunt, to roar, to _explode_. He tried to keep steady paces, remembering how the tiniest thing could force what made him human to just slip away.

As he slinked into the forest, he allowed a single tear to run down his face as he fell to the ground and felt his body expanding beyond the scope of his clothes, tearing at them, _tearing at him_. Blinding pain overtook him as his bones and muscles realigned to give way to the monster inside.

It was the Spirits' way of showing him how he actually didn't know a thing about sacrifice… yet.


	4. Chapter 4

Author notes:

To my nameless reviewer, I hear you man, I hear you.

Stupid FF's doc manager keeps swallowing words. If anyone finds a sentence that doesn't make much sense, please let me know and I'll fix it.

I hadn't foreseen how difficult it would be to choose soundtracks for each chapter, it's actually harder than the writing. I wanted a more mysterious tone to this chapter, and finding the perfect song took me foreveerrrr.

…

I do not own Twilight, any of its characters or plot.

Soundtrack of Chapter Four: Massive Attack – "Butterfly Caught"

Staring at the Sun

Chapter Four

"Acceptance"

Bella Swan stared at herself in front of the mirror, immersed in a contemplative mood. Three weeks had passed, her final tests were done and the last day of school was over. She had said goodbye to the friends she had made here, made her promises to stay in touch.

Tonight would be her last night in Phoenix, and though she was no stranger to moving around, she still found herself feeling a mixed sense of dread and nostalgia. Dread for she would tomorrow be moving in with her father, and worse, share a bathroom with him for now on. Nostalgia for Phoenix was a city she deeply adored, even though her stay had barely amounted to a year.

All of her life Bella had believed that her biggest fear was that people would find her boring. After facing the prospect of living indefinitely in Forks, she suddenly realized that being bored actually worried her more. And Forks was _the definition_ of boring.

Bella liked predictability, of course, but that didn´t mean she enjoyed doing the same thing every single day. She had long ago realized that learning new things could keep her grounded, and give her something to focus her more… obsessive propensities on. Nobody knew this, but Bella had never once minded moving around so much; in fact, she all but loved riding the wave of Renee's flightiness, for that meant she could learn something new every day.

While Renee picked things, scrutinized them and nonsensically flicked them away, Bella would dissect them to their last fragment, study each crevice and catalogue it for future reference. It was fantastic. They had been everywhere, done everything from creative dancing and experimental cooking to camping and even firearm shooting (courtesy of Phil).

But now… Now she would be moving away. _All alone_.

Bella had never been _alone_ before. She actually couldn't remember a time when she wasn't with Renee, Phil or both, filling her mind with new possibilities. Now she would be going away to her father and Bella was slightly worried that living with him would be close to living alone in an isolated village in Alaska. He would just be happy to leave her on her own and go on his merry way. And _that_ could easily go from bad to worse.

All work and no play makes Bella a dull girl.

Bella honestly didn't understand Dr Godricke's reasoning for making her leave, and she had gone through several contemplative sulks over the weeks, trying to figure that out. In the end, after many sessions of meditation, lengthy discussions with Dr Godricke and some not so gentle pushing from her grandmother, Bella had settled somewhere between reluctant acceptance and thoughtful stoicism.

Fighting was futile, she had surmised. Her only consolation was that she would go to Forks over the summer, which would give her time to adapt to the colder seasons.

She sighed, reading herself for bed, meticulously combing her hair, counting each stroke until the glossy strands were shiny and curling at the tips. After that, she dressed in her favorite pajamas, an Evil Dead oversized T-shirt that was mid-thigh long and cotton panties. She then laid down in bed, and closed her eyes, intent on another meditation session.

An indefinite amount of time later Bella opened her eyes again, and instantly realized that she wasn't home. In fact she was nowhere near Phoenix.

She warily looked around, recognizing immediately where she was by the dated and slightly chipped wall painting alone. The chilly temperatures were also dead giveaway.

She was in Forks. More precisely, she was in her father's living room.

She noticed him sleeping in his favorite reclining chair, snoring lightly as some sports show on TV made discreet noises in the background.

Frowning deeply, seriously worrying that she might have somehow had some sort of memory lapse (If that, then for how long?), she slowly got up and covered her father with a blanket that adorned the couch, to ward off the chilly temperatures.

She silently made her way out of the living room, fully intending on going up the stairs and freaking out in private in her room, but as she passed the kitchen entrance, she she noticed a pile of newspapers at the table. The date on the paper was the same as she remembered it being today, she sighed in relief. Ok, so no memory lapses then. Maybe … she was sleeping? ?

That made sense, she thought as she sat down in one of the kitchen chairs.

Bella had been thinking about Forks before she went to bed, so it was only expected that she would dream about it. She hoped it wouldn't be a nightmare though, she wasn't exactly thinking good things about this tedious little town before she went to sleep.

She waited for a while and nothing happened, which made Bella wonder if this really was a nightmare, one in which she would walk around, for hours on end, utterly bored (her worst fear… dang, why had she given that information up again?). She seriously hoped it wasn't a nightmare, but fearing it might be so, she decided to get up and just get it over with.

She walked around the kitchen only to notice the kitchen door slightly ajar. She snorted, thinking how it really was a dream, for if there was something Charlie was obsessed with it definitely was locking the doors before going to slumber. She decided to go outside and just face the dream world shaped as the woods behind her father's house.

The first thing she noticed was that she was not alone outside. The second thing was that her companions were all lined along the tree line, eerily looking back at her. The third thing was that they were all dead.

Great, she was having an undead themed nightmare.

She silently waited for a Freddy Krueger like creature to appear and try to kill her, but again, nothing happened. People just kept staring back at her. She had recognized them instantly: Sarah Black and Quil Ateara IV, Granpa Geoff and Granma Helen, they all just kept staring at her, as if awed, unbelieving of her presence.

'What the heck', Bella thought. 'Might as well go with the flow', she thought as she decided it wouldn't hurt to maybe like…go to them and…talk?

'Hey, so what is it like on the other side? Eternal peace in a sandy beach? Anything _else_ like… just maybe _more fun_ than _hijacking_ kids dreams?' she thought to herself mockingly, but was surprised as the four suddenly cracked similar amused smiles. Could they hear her mind?

Oh boy… Definitely starting to look like a nightmare.

She warily approached the tree line but suddenly forgot all about the deceased people as she became aware of intense heat blooming in her chest, suddenly feeling the searing blades of fire she had long became accustomed to.

Startled, she heaved a deep breath as she noticed the outline of a massive form just beyond the tree line. The sudden feeling of invisible claws gnawing at her heart pulled her forward, forcing her to step closer to the tree line. The dead people looked at her fondly as she dazedly approached them, Helen lightly caressing one curl of her granddaughter's hair, Sarah reaching out and softly running a ghostly hand along Bella's left arm. They all murmured words so soft that she could barely understand, but one phrase she heard:

" _He is here."_

Tears ran down Bella's eyes as she nodded.

She could feel the magnificent being opening his eyes, the smoldering yellow flames immediately locking onto her own gaze.

Everything else just faded away.

…

"Bella?"

She heard his voice before she became aware of herself.

"Sleep walking again, baby?"

She was still in her pajamas, barefoot, stepping on the grass at the backyard of her house, looking up at the moon, tear tracks still fresh on her cheeks.

"How did you get outside? I locked the doors myself. Is your sleep-walking side getting sneakier?" she sensed the humor in his voice, felt the touch of a hand at the small of her back.

"Come on, baby. Wake up. I have a surprise for you." The hand at her back gently steered her back inside the house.

"Go change clothes now. We can't be late." She obeyed him, dully, as he steered her upstairs.

"Phil?" She asked, still dazed.

"Hm?" It was still very dark, she could barely see his face. He rubbed gentle circles over her lower back as he helped her upstairs.

"Did I wake you up?" she murmured as she entered her room and sat on her bed, dazedly pulling on leggings per his request. He was leaning at the door, silent, watching her. She made to take of her shirt, torpidly thinking about changing into another one, but he stopped her by tenderly holding her arms down.

"You didn't. I just … always know when you are around." He murmured, letting go of her arms. In fact, he had known the exact second that she stepped out of the house. "Keep the shirt on, it looks comfortable." He murmured as he got down to one knee and silently strapped sandals unto her feet. After he got up and pulled Bella up and over to him, embracing her softly, again rubbing gentle circles on her back. He rested his chin on top of her head and sighed.

"Are you awake now?" he asked.

"Why are we leaving at three in the morning?" she asked as she chanced a look at her alarming clock, checking the time. "Does mom know we are leaving?"

"You are questioning me. Good! That means you are awake." Phil smiled his trademark crooked half smile as he let go of her head and looked into her eyes. "Your mom is asleep, and no, she doesn't know we are leaving. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do." She murmured as he slipped a lock of her hair behind her right ear.

"Then let's go."

…

"Why are you doing this to me?"

A sigh.

"This is not about you. It has never been. You know that."

Phil Dwyer clenched his hands in agitation, staring at the placid man in front of him. His 5´6 frame, light brown hair cropped short, his outfit of blue jeans and a pale blue shirt, both frayed with wear. One would not immediately sense an ounce of threat coming from this man, unless one was to stare into his eyes. The same soulless eyes that stared back at Phil, unblinkingly.

The man smiled, something that always put Phil on edge.

"You were sent there to watch over, to supervise. Certainly not to _care_. Do you… _care,_ Phillip? Have you finally found someone to _pro_ tect ?"

Phil narrowed his eyes, sneering at him. He was wary, but decided to be humor him, for once. "Yes, I do. I…have."

The man's smiled widened considerably, contorting his face into a somewhat inhuman expression, his unblinking eyes focusing exclusively on him. Phil fervently wished the other one had shown up to talk to him; at least _she_ pretended some humanity still.

"Wrong," the man spoke lowly, approaching him menacingly. "You care, yes, that you do, you love, I can _feel_ that. But do not think you can fool me, _boy_. You have not found someone to protect, you have found someone who protects _you_."

Phil gave a step back, startled. His widened eyes sought the gaze of the man - monster - in front of him. So, they knew.

They knew about him.

They knew about _her_.

He clenched his fist, enraged. He'd been played from the start.

Unblinking eyes continued their unsettling stare. "Bring her to me," the man said. "I want to give her birthday gift, as I will not be able to see her again so soon."

A little over 24 hours later and Phil Dwyer found himself, at 3 in the morning, driving his precious cargo around town. She'd dozed off at the passenger seat, so fully trusting of him that it made his heart ache.

They arrived at their destination, the Desert Botanical Garden, an actual garden, full of neatly arranged cactuses, glass sculptures and thousands of butterflies. It was Bella´s most favorite place on the world, Phil knew and so did they.

Phil took Bella out of the car and carried her inside, in his arms, still asleep. He passed the already unconscious (hopefully not murdered) security guards and headed inside. As he found himself surrounded by artfully arranged glowing glass sculptures and spindly prickly flora, he allowed himself a moment of enjoying the blend of nature and human creativity, until he arrived at the Butterfly Pavillion.

He couldn't hide his surprise in seeing _them_ , even after all these years. The man now smiled more sedately, eyeing his dear cargo and the woman, brilliant and seductive in her beauty, eyed too the girl fondly, and motioned for Phil to accommodate her in a comfortable booth.

He did as he was told, silent and gentle, lest he awakened Bella. The couple kneeled in front of her, as Phil walked away, torn, clenching his hands so hard that his fingernails dug into his palms, nearly drawing blood.

The couple murmured sweet nothings that Phil could not understand, sometimes they softly brushed her hair, others they lightly caressed her features. After an eternity, to him at least, the couple got up and approached Phil with an almost feline pace of perfect, lethal steps, all the while focusing their inhuman gazes at him.

The man held his hand out, showing Phil something he cradled in his hand: a tiny, tiny cactus plant, with a little blue flower yet to blossom on top of it. "The gift," the man said, not elaborating further. Phil held out his hands, taking the miniscule plant to himself, thinking it was actually a great gift to Bella. She would love it.

"Wake her when we are gone." The woman's soprano voice reverberated through him. "We will dispose of the guards, your way out will be clear. Nevertheless, do not linger here."

Phil again did as he was told, marveling at the little things like Bella's glowing smile when he gave her the tiny plant. She truly adored her new gift, and promised to care for it deeply. They trolled around for a while, Bella pleasantly surprised at being able to say goodbye to her favorite place in Phoenix.

Later when they were back home, Phil actually tucked her in. She thought it was the funniest thing and told him to tuck in the new cactus too, so he would feel welcome.

"He?" Phil questioned, amused.

Bella yawned deeply. "It feels like a he, don't you think?" she said as she made herself comfortable under the covers. Phil lifted one eyebrow, amused. "Sure, why not? Tomorrow we can pick his name", he said.

Bella smiled sleepily but held his hand as he tried to get up. He looked at her as he sat back down, and she cupped his left cheek with one hand.

"Are you gonna be okay when I leave?"

Phil swallowed thickly. No, he wouldn't, but there was nothing he could do about it. Not yet, at least. So, of course, he opted on lying.

"Don't be silly, of course I am", he huffed, dismissing her words.

"You're lying", she ousted him, still smiling, trying to hide a yawn. "But that's okay… I don't expect you to tell me all your secrets."

…

At the next morning Charlie Swan found himself frowning deeply, staring at the opened kitchen door right in front of him. The same door he most distinctly remembered locking the night before.


End file.
